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Market Research Definitions

Data:
A set of observations.

Data Collection:
The process of collecting market research data. Data collection is accomplished through interviewing and surveying.

Data Entry:
The organizing procedure that allows for the collection of data to be analyzed. The process involves recording, classifying, sorting, summarizing, calculating, disseminating and storing data.

Data Mining:
Data mining is the ability to query large data sets. This requires advanced skills and is a promising solution.

Data Processing:
Research that attempts to explain the relationship between two variables (if A cause s B to occur).

Data Protection:
National and international laws that cover the appropriate and required methods to be used in protecting data privacy. Organizations also have guidelines to be followed for data privacy, in which companies must adhere to the guidelines in order to be associated with the organization (ESOMAR/ARF).

Data User News:
The United States Census Bureau's monthly newsletter.

Data Warehouse:
A data warehouse is a massive collection of essential business intelligence. The use of data warehouse is evolving to include operational and analytic data.

Database Management Software:
Computer-run software that manages data and allows for saving and updating the data so that the data can effectively be used and manipulated at a later date.

Day-After Recall:
A measurement tool for advertisers that measures a proportion of the population that remembers a specific television ad within 24 hours of its initial airing.

Daytime Population:
The population during the daytime hours in a particular area as opposed to those that live in a particular area (measured by the United States Census Bureau).

Decennial Census:
A census that is conducted every ten years during the beginning of the decade.

Deduping:
Removing potential respondents from the research sample.

Deliberated Poll:
Respondents are polled twice to measure changes in opinion. The first poll gauges their overall opinions. The respondents then are provided some more information relevant to the topic and are then polled for a second time. Changes in opinion are then examined.

Delphi Technique:
A long-term forecasting technique that allows for expert judgment without empirical data. There are three stages to this technique. First, experts are anonymously polled. Next, the results are distributed to the group of experts who are then individually polled again after seeing their colleague's opinions. The process is repeated until the group arrives at a general consensus about the issue at hand.

Demand Bias:
Corruption of the research when the respondents assume to know or actually know the research agenda. This can occur when the research sponsor is revealed to the respondents.

Demographics:
Statistics that describe a population's objective or quantifiable characteristics. Examples of demographics include age, sex, birth and mortality rates, income, marital status, occupation, and household characteristics.

Demography:
The study of an area's characteristics which include its size, structure and changes to specific populations.

Density:
A measurement to identify the crowdedness in a given area by computing the total population of the geographic unit and dividing it by the land area (usually in miles or kilometers).

Dependent Variable:
A concept that's value changes as an independent variable changes. Statistics are used to explain the strength of the relationship between the two variables. Can also be called a criterion variable.

Depth Interview:
Interviews that exist between a respondent and an interviewer in which the interviewer asks probing questions to really understand the participants motivations by using nondirective techniques.

Descriptive Function:
Data that is collected to provide facts rather than causal or exploratory research.

Descriptive Studies:
Studies that cover the basic who, what, when, where, and how questions.

Design Control:
A pre-experiment set-up designed to reduce or eliminate extraneous causal factors.

Designated Marketing Area (DMA):
An area that represents the way that NPD/Nielsen measures its television market audiences.

Diagnostic Function:
A diagnosis or identification of a problem that is supported by data or actions.

Diary Panel:
A group of respondents that are asked to keep journals on their buying, watching, or listening habits over a period of time.

Dichotomous Questions:
Questions that offer only two possible responses. An example would be yes or no question.

Digital Signatures:
A way to electronically prove the sender of an email or electronic document. The digital signatures authenticate the sender and can therefore legally endorse contracts and agreements.

Digitizing:
A system that involves identifying coordinates of a market area as latitude and longitude, and then being able to return and re-identify each twist and turn that the market makes.

Direct Computer Interviewing:
Interviews that are conducted entirely on a computer (questions are asked and responses are accepted). Respondents are usually recruited and complete the interview at a central location.

Directory Database:
A collection of data that is kept in an index or directory so that that it can be easily revisited.

Disappointment Score:
Study results that reveal the proportion of respondents that claim that they would not buy a product even after trying that product.

Discrete Variable:
A quantitative variable that has a set amount of possibilities as opposed to continuous variables which have an infinite set. An example would be the number of individuals in a family.

Discretionary Income:
An individual's income after taxes and necessities are accounted for. This amount is available for consumer spending and is also referred to as disposable income.

Discriminant Analysis:
A technique used to understand a set of independent variables and their ability to predict outcomes of dependent variables.

Discriminant Coefficient:
The value that is placed in front of the independent variable and describes the level of affect that the variable carries.

Discriminant Score:
A value that is assigned to an object which then determines which group the object will belong to.

Discriminant Validity:
The idea that two constructs that are supposed to be different are in fact observed to be different.

Discussion Guide:
An outline for the focus group moderator to be sure that all necessary topics are addressed. Can also be called a moderator guide.

Discussion Question:
An open-ended question that does not have a set amount of responses available, but allows the respondent to share all that comes to mind in order for them to answer the question in their own words.

Disguised Observation:
An observation in which the people, objects, or occurrences do not know that they are being monitored.

Disk-by-Mail (DBM):
A survey that is distributed through the mail by a disk, and participants complete the survey on their own computers.

Disposable Income:
The amount of money that individuals have after removing taxes and other required payments. Disposable income is then available to spend as the consumer wishes. See also discretionary income.

Disproportional or Optimal Allocation:
Sampling that attempts to represent the true population by means of proportions of individuals with given characteristics. Disproportional refers to a non-representative sample and optimal refers to a well represented sample.

Distribution Check:
The ability to study a particular product and have information available for the product such as how many stores carry it, the number of facings, special displays, and the prices associated with the particular product.

Door-to-Door Interviewing:
Interviews that are conducted face to face in the consumer's homes.

Double Jeopardy:
A reality for small brands in which their products are purchased less frequently and by a smaller group of people.

Double Sampling:
A sample that is pulled from an existing larger sample because of the inexpensive first sample. The sub-sample is then selected from the larger sample based on desired population characteristics.

Drop Off/Out:
Respondents that leave the survey prior to termination or survey completion.

Dropout Rate:
The is the amount of respondents that start a research survey, but these respondents cannot be identified as completing the survey, being screened out, or are members of the over quota.

Duplicate Number Validation:
A procedure used during focus group recruiting that collects names and phone numbers for future focus group participants, and verifies that the screened individual has not participated recently in more focus groups than what is desired.

Dyad:
Qualitative research where two participants are being interviewed by a single interviewer. This method of research is common when the respondents are relatively equal as far as their ability to make purchase decisions for a company.